Xavier Naidoo is a German soul and R&B singer who has won numerous music awards. He is best known for his soulful ballads, which have achieved multiple gold and platinum status. In addition to his solo career, he has also enjoyed great success with the group Söhne Mannheims.
Xavier Naidoo was born in Mannheim on 2 October 1971. He quickly gains his first musical experience in various school and gospel choirs. After middle school, Xavier Naidoo starts an apprenticeship as a cook, works as a model and bouncer, dreaming of a career as a musician. Not long after, he records his first album "Seeing Is Believing" in the USA and releases it under the stage name Kobra.
From background singer to star
As a background singer, Xavier Naidoo is allowed to do his first shows. He meets the musician and producer Moses Pelham, who is thrilled by Naidoo's voice. Together they work on Xavier Naidoo's own music and release the single "Freisein" with Sabrina Setlur in 1997. A little later, "20.000 Meilen", Xavier Naidoo's first solo single, is released.
The success story takes its course: In 1998, Xavier Naidoo's debut album "Nicht Von Dieser Welt" is released, which sells over a million copies and stays in the Top 20 for a year. The single "Sie sieht mich nicht" ("She doesn't see me") is awarded platinum status.
With his concerts, the musician fills larger and larger halls, the fans virtually tear themselves apart for Xavier Naidoo tickets. The music industry awards him an Echo in the category "Best National Newcomer". A second Echo and the MTV Award for "Best German Act" follow.
Arrival at the top of the charts
When Xavier Naidoo founds the band Söhne Mannheims parallel to his solo career, there is a break with Pelham and his label. However, this did not dampen the success of his second solo album "Zwischenspiel - Alles für den Herrn": it went straight to number 1 in the album charts. With the song "Ich kenne nichts (das so schön ist wie du)" (I know nothing that is as beautiful as you), released in 2003, Xavier Naidoo reaches the top of the German singles charts for the first time.
Xavier Naidoo goes on tour and picks up more awards
In 2005, Xavier Naidoo releases the song "Dieser Weg" (This Way), which becomes the hit of the World Cup taking place in Germany one year later. In the same year, more prizes were hailed down: Xavier Naidoo receives his third Echo and is honoured with the Golden Camera in the category "Pop national".
The successful album "Telegramm für X" (2005) is followed by "Alles kann besser werden" (2009). In between, Xavier Naidoo goes on tour and fills concert halls in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. As a retrospective of his shows, Xavier Naidoo releases a live album. Xavier Naidoo's string of successes continues with his subsequent albums. For example, his album "Für dich", released in 2017, occupies third place in the German charts.
Xavier Naidoo's greatest hits
Top 10 hits by Xavier Naidoo in the German singles charts:
- „Sie sieht mich nicht“
- „Wo willst du hin?“
- „Ich kenne nichts“
- „Dieser Weg“
- „Danke“
- „Was wir alleine nicht schaffen“
- „Schau nicht mehr zurück“
- „Bei meiner Seele“
Xavier Naidoo as a casting judge on TV
In 2011 and 2012, Xavier Naidoo can be seen as a judge on the casting show "The Voice of Germany". As he is well received not only by fans of his music but also by television audiences, he also takes part in "Sing meinen Song - Das Tauschkonzert" in 2014 and also acts as host of the show. In 2019, the musician gets to sit in the RTL jury chair alongside pop titan Dieter Bohlen in "Deutschland sucht den Superstar".
